Handwritten in cursive script on the front: ""Souvenir" R.N. H.M.S. Thunderer, 12th January 1879."
HMS Thunderer was a Devastation-class ironclad turret ship built for the Royal Navy in the 1870s. Laid down in 1869 and completed in 1877, she was notable for her cutting-edge armament and propulsion but suffered from two major disasters that tarnished her reputation.
In 1876, a catastrophic boiler explosion killed 45 crew members, making it the deadliest such incident in the Royal Navy that century. Then, on 2 January 1879, during gunnery practice in the Sea of Marmara, her forward turret’s 12-inch gun (38-ton muzzle-loader) exploded, killing 11 and injuring 35. This incident was attributed to a double-loading error, possibly exacerbated by the hydraulic loading system, and contributed to the Royal Navy's shift toward breech-loading guns. Although largely forgotten today, the accident on Thunderer has been described as the impetus for the Royal Navy switching from muzzle loading to breech-loading guns – a decision that would eventually change the way naval engagements would be fought.
Despite these setbacks, Thunderer served in the Mediterranean and was modernized in 1889, receiving new 10-inch breech-loading guns and upgraded machinery. However, persistent boiler issues forced her return to the UK in 1892. She was later used as a coast guard ship and reserve vessel before being sold for scrap in 1909.
Link to the Lords Sitting 17 March 1879 Explosion on Board H.M.S. Thunderer:
https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1879/mar/17/navy-explosion-on-board-hms-thunderer
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